The Classic Machinery Network

Im looking for an old compact tractor I can hook up to a hammer flail cutting attachment. I have a one acre wooded field that I need to keep clear, as its rapidly being overtaken each year by 4 foot high ferns.

Which makes do you recommend, and which to avoid ? Needs three point linkage and a pto.

I also have a very limited budget...

I'm not sure a flail is the answer, some bracken spores can be carcenagenic and a flail would quickly get them airborne, also a flail will spread seed very efficiently. I would be tempted towards a fingerbar type mower so the offending greenery could be gathered and burned or rotted.

Cheers for the reply. I've been reading a small holders forum that recommended the hammer flail, as it would also tackle small saplings.

Seems I need to read up a bit more about the vegetation rather than the equipment.

You would be OK if you flail whilst the plants are young and pre spore. Some fairly cheap small flails about now , not sure of quality mind.

If you're planning a bit of brush bashing as well then yes a flail is the tool. Generally they rotate in reverse to the direction of travel which gives a neater finish in grass etc., one that rotates forwards will deal with larger brush better but a rougher finish. Something else to consider is the speed at which stones, bits of wood, (and golf balls) can come out of the front if caught wrong, and on a compact you're not far from that exit point!
Look at the type of flail and how it fits to the drum as something easy to remove/refit/sharpen/replace is good to keep it well balanced.
I believe all 540 pto shafts are standard now, just bear in mind if you go old school and look at Fergies some have a non standard stubshaft. Not the end of the world as adaptors are available. That said, if you want simple and don't need something really small you'll keep a Fergie going with good spares availability long after others have dissolved.

Tilly,

Honestly speaking you're wasting your time and money by cutting ferns......you'll be back there again next year and the year after.....and so on....regardless of what growth stage you cut them at.

The most effective solution is to spray them with Asulox around late July/Early Aug....full frond extension. That will put an end to them.
There's a number of firms that sell these sprayer attachments that will sit on a quad bike so they're easy enough to use.

This is how we tackled the problem

RichardJW~ wrote:Tilly,

Honestly speaking you're wasting your time and money by cutting ferns......you'll be back there again next year and the year after.....and so on....regardless of what growth stage you cut them at.

The most effective solution is to spray them with Asulox around late July/Early Aug....full frond extension. That will put an end to them.
There's a number of firms that sell these sprayer attachments that will sit on a quad bike so they're easy enough to use.

This is how we tackled the problem

This is how I would tackle it as well if its bad, everything Richard says here is correct

All you will do is spread the problem around with mowing it

Spray and leave it alone dont mow it give what ever is underneath a chance to come thru

Paul

I chucked some roundup on them last year, and it didnt bother them at all. They seem to return every year with a vengeance.

Do I need a spraying license to purchase Asulox, or is it widely available to a small holder.

EDIT: "From 1st November 2016, it will be illegal to apply or store (Asulox) Asulam."

Seems its no longer available, and illegal to store or spray.

Tillywolves wrote:I chucked some roundup on them last year, and it didnt bother them at all. They seem to return every year with a vengeance.

Do I need a spraying license to purchase Asulox, or is it widely available to a small holder.

EDIT: "From 1st November 2016, it will be illegal to apply or store (Asulox) Asulam."

Seems its no longer available, and illegal to store or spray.

Get a contractor to do it. Legally you will need a license to use a sprayer and if you are not a farmer you may not be allowed to buy it.

Also you will find that "they" (don't know who they are, but they are in charge of pesticides) issue a license to sell Asulox on the market in UK this year, they have done for the last 2 years and it is expected that it will happen again in 2017.
Its available for a limited period of time from early Summer onwards.

I forget the application rate but its something like 10 or 12 litres per acre.

It comes under "emergency authorisation"

http://www.brackencontrol.co.uk/pages/news/33447